8:45am Friday 24th August 2007
By Kate Yates
DEATH AND DROWNING
Craig Hamilton-Parker, author of The Psychic Handbook and co-author of The Hidden Meaning Of Dreams, says: "Most people tend to have nightmares about death, because it symbolically represents the death of something within ourselves, such as the end of a relationship or starting a new job, for example, and can also occur when people feel overwhelmed with problems - or feel dead to the world'.
"I believe that our dreams often serve to question those elements in our lives which we choose to deny, and the most common of these is our mortality."
BEING CHASEDCraig says: "This is an avoidance dream and obviously represents running away from something - in fact, in a recent study of children's dreams it was discovered that the most common nightmare for kids who are victims of bullying is being chased.
"It's always about what we don't want to face up to - such as the fact that the mortgage is overdue, that a relationship is over, or even an illness that is looming."
Craig believes that dreams are not so much about bringing our fears to light, but about showing us ways to heal ourselves.
SNAKESCraig says: "Snake dreams are very common and are often associated with fears, including sexual stresses, but can also have very strong spiritual symbolism as a healing power.
"In the East they say that the fundamental core of human health is the spine, which is represented by two entwined snakes.
"The snake could also represent positive transformation and rebirth since it is well known to shed its skin, as well as hidden fears or alarms since it is usually in the ground and we can't see it coming - it can be both negative and positive."
FALLINGCraig says: "There are some theories that falling dreams occur due to a change in blood pressure or a changes in the inner ear, but they often represent a loss of equilibrium such as at work or in a relationship.
"However, there is also the belief that falling dreams are archaic memories - because we never actually hit the bottom, some theorists say that these dreams go back to the times when our monkey ancestors lived in trees and the ones who didn't hit the forest floor were the ones who survived."
TEETH FALLING OUTCraig says: "This a very common, disturbing nightmare and often comes at emotional turning points for people, because when our milk teeth fall out it marks the turning point between the security of childhood and more stressful adolescence, and the first stirrings of sexual feeling.
"So if something major is changing in our lives and we are not too sure about it, we often dream about our teeth falling out. This dream can also occur when you've had a loss of self-esteem and represents times when you don't feel good in your own skin."
WHAT YOU SAYKate Yates took to the streets of Worcester to discover what nightmares you have.JOHN FLACK, aged 58, of Lower Broadheath, said: "I don't have them now but when I was a child I had them where something got bigger and bigger in my mind. I had it when I was a child - and I remember also having it about five years ago."
KIRSTY NORRIS, aged 22, of Bedwardine Road, St John's, Worcester, said: "I did have nightmares when I was pregnant, but they say that's all about anxiety. I had nightmares that I was falling or I felt trapped in a room.
"They did wake me up, especially the falling ones because I woke up and jumped."
KIRSTY YEOMANS, aged 19, of Bewdley, said: "I have a few nightmares. Mostly I dream about myself drowning because I'm petrified of water like my mum. A couple of years ago I woke up in a sweat because they can get really bad, but I haven't had one for a while now. I have them when I'm falling off a high cliff or something and it makes you jump and you wake up."
SHIRLEY HOUGHTON, aged 52, of Bromyard Terrace, St John's, Worcester, said: "Sometimes they are when I'm falling. I wake up and feel a bit shakey.
"Sometimes I hear noises and I think someone's at the door. They are horrible and you are glad you have woken up, especially if it's one where I'm falling off a cliff.
"I also got a fear of spiders and I have dreadful nightmares about them crawling over me."
DAVID ROBINSON, aged 23, of Crown East, Worcester, said: "I wake up covered in sweat when I've had a nightmare. I have the ones where people are chasing me and I wake up just before they get me. They are always just like that and I never find out the ending. I wake up feeling panicked."
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.worcesternews.co.uk